Nigerian heavyweight veteran Ike Ibeabuchi is set to make a dramatic return to the ring on December 24 in Lagos, where he will challenge for the World Boxing Bureau (WBB) Heavyweight Championship with the ambition of breaking George Foreman’s long-standing age record.
The 52-year-old will face Kabiru Towolawi in a 12-round main event at the Teslim Balogun Stadium. A win would position Ibeabuchi to surpass Foreman, who became the oldest man to claim a recognised heavyweight title at age 45 when he defeated Michael Moorer in 1994.
The WBB, which has operated globally for more than two decades, has officially sanctioned the Lagos bout, with the event set to stream live on Prizefighting.tv. The fight night is being promoted by Prizefighting.tv, with organiser Miyen Akiri describing it as a key stepping stone in Ibeabuchi’s comeback.
Akiri emphasised that the December showdown is designed to give the former world-rated boxer a clear path to bigger opportunities. He added that a win would place Ibeabuchi in contention for a future clash against Oleksandr Usyk, the current Ring Magazine heavyweight champion.
He noted that victory in December would put Ibeabuchi “in a position to fight Oleksandr Usyk, the Ring Heavyweight Champion,” adding that the team simply wants “a fair, well-organised fight night that marks the next stage of his comeback.”
Ibeabuchi himself has not hidden his ambitions, expressing a strong belief that he can complete a historic return to the top of the division. He has repeatedly declared his intent to become the undisputed heavyweight champion and has spoken boldly about his prospects in a potential matchup against Usyk.
He said, “The fire for me to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world is burning hot within me. I will knock Usyk out just like George Foreman knocked out Michael Moorer.”
The December event is expected to draw significant attention as the Nigerian veteran attempts to etch his name into boxing history and reignite a career that once promised global dominance.
